The entire team at The Chilam Group wishes our entire network of customers, friends, suppliers and partners all the best during these challenging and uncertain times.
Like almost half the people on earth, most of us are quarantined at home in observance of government-mandated shelter-in-place measures for non-essential businesses. Both our facilities; in Xcalak (XTC Dive Center, The Flying Cloud Hotel and The Coral Bar and Grill), and in Xpu Ha (Maya Blue Dive Center, Dark Zone Diving and Bat House Café) are currently closed for the first time in The Chilam Group´s 15 years in business. Our Tour Operator, Yucatan Dive Trek is still operational virtually.
The direct and indirect consequences from the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic will continue to unfold for the next several months and years. The effects from prolonged physical isolation from economic, psychological and social standpoints will certainly be long-lasting and will most likely result in a fundamentally altered society with a completely different worldview.
Despite the monumental financial, personal and collective price we will have to pay we are hopeful this “Great Pause” as it is also being referred to; will come with a silver lining.
We hope that this event is a catalyst in helping many more people realize that it is not in our collective best interest as humans to return to “normal”, and that we take this opportunity to re-invent ourselves, our society and our economic machine at a fundamental level in such a way that we all live in a slower, kinder, more sustainable world in which never-ending growth and consumption at all costs is replaced by a more socially and environmentally sustainable approach to development.
Travel and tourism, the economic sector that we participate in; will most likely be one of the hardest-hit due to the different restrictions imposed on international travel, government-mandated closures and a generally unfavorable economic climate.
Regions like the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, where we are based will be particularly hard-hit due to our regional economy´s overwhelming dependence on tourism.
We hope this situation helps shine a brighter light on several systemic weaknesses in our industry that result in more sustainable business practices, especially from large players that provide front-line workers with a better safety net.
We have taken steps to preserve as many jobs as possible; however hard times lie ahead while the world wrestles with how best to scale back strict social-distancing measures so that people can return to work.
In order to raise much needed liquidity, we are reaching out to our established client based and offering services paid in advance at a 25% discount to be used through the end of 2021.
This offer is valid for any and all Chilam facilities (excluding Yucatan Dive Trek trips).
When we are finally able to go outside and do things we are confident that transformative experiences that help people truly connect with nature, culture and each other like the ones The Chilam Group has been championing for years will be at the forefront of the much needed conversation people need to have when deciding how and where to spend their limited leisure time and money.
In the meantime, we will be hard at work re-imagining our experiences for you and planning ahead to do our part in the upcoming rebuilding.
All the best,
The Chilam Group team